Fresh Pasta with Uncooked Tomato Sauce

If you prefer, use dried pasta instead of fresh in this recipe. This is an easy sauce to whip up when tomatoes are in season and bursting with flavour. Call it pasta al salsa di pomodoro crudo and you’ll definitely impress a crowd.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings.

Ingredients

2 cups fresh pasta such as shells or cavatelli

Extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 cups chopped fresh seasonal tomatoes or grape tomatoes

Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Handful fresh basil, torn or sliced

Freshly grated or shaved Parmesan cheese, grated

Method

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. While making the sauce add pasta to boiling water. Cook until pasta a dente, about 3 to 5 minutes for fresh pasta.

If using smaller tomatoes such as grape tomatoes cut in half or quarter. Add tomatoes to large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add freshly torn basil and toasted garlic. Drizzle with some of the garlic infused olive oil. Let sit while pasta cooks.

Add pasta and a little pasta water to tomato mixture. Toss with cheese. Makes 2 to 4 servings depending on appetite.